a faith.

rather than at Rome.

I had intended to say a few words on two or three other matters of Italian interest, but it is really time to bring this long letter to a conclusion. I must mention that the old ex-king, Joseph Bonaparte, who died here the other day, has left a considerable mass of MS. memoirs to Prince Musignano, the son of the Prince de Canino, with directions that they are not to be opened till he is twenty-five. He is now twenty. Assuredly if posterity does not sufficiently well know the doings of our times and those of our fathers, it will not be for want of care on our parts to tell them all

about it.

Romanism may find favour anywhere central and otherwise convenient city as the permanent place of meeting. Many advantages would attend this method of organizing the association. But there are other objects in contemplation, and those assuredly not the least important in the scheme of these associations, which all the leading nations of Europe have now copied from each other, that would be lost if their locomotive character were abandoned. Perhaps in Germany, England, and France, the most valuable result of these meetings is the influence they may be expected to exercise on the city in which they assemble. In Italy there can be no doubt that this is the case. Torpid, lethargic, and intellectually dead, as is the society of the cities of Italy for the most part, it is a great matter to awaken the public mind to the fact that there are interests and occupations other than the eternal round of intolera

Of course your readers have seen in the public papers accounts of the inundation of the Arno, which afflicted Florence on Sunday, November 3rd. It is centuries since such a visitation has been ex-ble insipidities offered by the boudoir, the theatre, perienced here. The calamity has been a very serious one, and the destruction of property immense. The conduct of the grand duke, his munificence, thoughtfulness, personal activity, and benevolence have been above all praise. The English have, as usual, come forward handsomely to assist in alleviating the distress of the poorer sufferers. The water stood about eight feet deep in the streets of the lower part of the town.

MILAN, September 30th, 1844.

the casino, and the corso. In a state of society such as that which many circumstances of long standing conspire to render the social life of Italy, where the votaries of science are, for the most part, poor, unappearing, recluse men, exercising absolutely no influence on the social world around them, it is of no small moment to exhibit science majestic in the imposing strength of its united forces, honoured by the world, and reverenced by the great and powerful.

This we conceive to be the most important obThe sixth annual meeting of the Scientific Asso-ject of these annual meetings in Italy. And havciation of Italy is over;-the Convocato in Mi-ing explained our views on this point we cannot lano,' so long looked forward to, has come together but confess our opinion that the Milan meeting and dispersed again, and Milan is returning to its was not so successful a one as could be wished. -sooth to say-somewhat unscientific condition The contrast indeed between the reception of again. The first question to be asked and answer- the scientific men of Italy at Florence, a year or ed is-Has the meeting been a successful one? two ago, and at Milan this year was truly reThe partisans of the association point triumphantly markable. It was not that the official reception in reply, to the list of members, amounting to was less distinguished for its cordiality and magnearly twelve hundred. It is a larger number than nificence; though it is worthy of remark that the has assembled at any one of the previous meetings, expenses of the meeting were supplied from a and may fairly be assumed to indicate that an in-different source in the two capitals in question. At terest in scientific matters, and love for the pursuits Florence it was the grand duke, whose liberality of science, is on the increase in Italy. The large and munificence were exerted to the utmost to number of members composing this sixth congress, make the meeting agreeable to its members, and to is the more remarkable, say the managers of the do honour to science in their persons. At Milan Milanese arrangements, seeing that the eligibility the government did scarcely anything. Almost, of those who presented themselves for admission if not quite, all the expense was borne by the muto its ranks, was far more severely scrutinised than has been the case at previous meetings. Thus it was laid down as a rule, that the mere fact of having been a member of any or all of the five former assemblies, was no title of admissibility. And much heart-burning, discontent, and jealousy, has arisen from the decision.

nicipality of Milan. This is an extremely rich body, and its expenditure has been very large on the occasion. Everything was done by the corporation in the most liberal, indeed, magnificent manner. It was not in this point that the contrast showed itself; but in one of unfortunately far greater importance.

At

But is the mere enumeration of its mem- It was in the social reception which the Conbers, granting them to be all honourable men in the gress met with in either city;-not its individual roll of science, a sufficient answer to the members-that is another matter;-but the Coninquiry-has the Milanese meeting been a success-gress as a body. In a word, it was at Florence ful one? We think not quite. What are the ob- the fashion; at Milan it was the reverse. jects of these locomotive meetings in the different Florence everybody,' all the noblesse, the ladies, cities of the great nations of Europe? If the sole purpose is the assembling as large a number of men occupied in scientific pursuits, for the sake of intercommunication, and the advancement of science by the opportunity thus furnished them of comparing their experiences, the results which they have attained, and the doubts which have beset them if these were the sole objects in view, it would seem a better plan to select some most

with the grand duchess at their head, and the world of fashion,' took pleasure in mixing with the world of science,' joining its meetings, its dinners, even attending its sectional discussions. The grand duchess attended several. At Milan a very different feeling was observable. As a body the nobility held themselves aloof. They did, indeed, give, it may be urged, one ball to the members of the congress at their Casino dei Nobili.'

But, this duty done, they held themselves aloof. | propagate, in some degree, the blessings of excluThe evening meetings at the Ricardi Palace, in siveness among the ranks of the swinish multitude! Florence, used to be crowded to overflowing with In their happy gallery, at the top of the noble all the rank and beauty of the city. The rooms ball-room, they may, at least, inhale the refuse of the Palazzo Marino, in which the evening breath steaming up from noble lungs delicious meetings were held in Milan, presented the melan-gales from Araby the blest. Surely this is somecholy appearance of a number of middle-aged thing. The wealthy citizens of Milan feel that gentlemen wandering through the half-filled and it is; and they value the so condescendingly grantnearly silent rooms, with all the symptoms of being ed privilege accordingly. out of their element, dying of ennui, and anything but enjoying themselves. No! the Milan belles would have nothing to say to the wise men. Milan is celebrated for the beauty of its women. But upon this occasion they decided it to be mauvais ton to show themselves. It may be very possible that the interests of science were advanced all the more uninterruptedly from the philosophers having been left to their own lucubrations. But the result certainly was that the Congress wore a dull and grim appearance compared to the festive, gala-like meeting of Florence.

Now, that the black-coated disciples of Urania should have been unblest at Milan by the presence of the gaily-decked votaries of Terpsichore, is a matter of infinitely small consequence. In all seriousness the Congress may have very probably served its purely scientific end all the better for the absence of a number of exclusive, illiterate nobles, and their, if possible, more illiterate and uneducated wives and daughters. But the spirit of the Milanese society, thus manifested, is of no small moment as regards the future hopes and destinies of Italy. For it must be understood that it was not simply because the beaux and belles of Milan are almost wholly uneducated and illiterate that they, therefore, found nothing to attract them in the society of the philosophers, and for that reason did not go near them. Not a bit of it. They would have shown themselves, and talked of Shakspeare and the musical glasses,' or of Galileo and hydropathy, like others under similar circumstances, IF the Congress had been a Congress of nobles, instead of, for the most part, of roturiers. Here was the point of difficulty.

Yes! the Congress, whatever its other claims to consideration may have been, was deficient in quarterings,' and was, therefore, no company for the Milanese noblesse. Nowhere, in Europe, is the effete barbarism of castes' more in vigour than at Milan. The result, of course and of necessity, is, that the exclusives there are the least advanced in social and moral civilisation of all the great cities of Italy. Will it be believed that these noble blockheads have a Casino for themselves and their females, to whose festivities the more distinguished of their non-noble fellow-citizens are invited-after what manner does the civilized nineteenth-century Englishman think? Thus: A gallery has been constructed, looking from above into the ball-room. There such more distinguished roturiers, with their families, as the privileged caste may condescend to invite-not to share-but to witness their festivities, being duly fenced in with an iron grating, may gaze through the bars at the Paradise that they can never enter. It is at least something! They may there see what it is to be noble! The happy ones, thus permitted to feast their eyes, may, at least, boast to their less fortunate fellow-citizens, of the condescension with which they have been honoured, and thus

Yes! the roturier citizens of Milan-incredible as it may seem to those whose more civilized social system has given them the feelings of men in the place of those of slaves-do gratefully and gladly accept these invitations. Yes! for one of the curses most surely attendant on the undue separation of a privileged caste, is the degradation of both parties-the real abasement of the pariah, as well as the fancied exaltation of the noble.

And these exclusive nobles pretend to feelings of patriotism!-pretend to hate the Austrians!to sigh for the liberation of Italy from her oppressors! We strongly recommend them to change the tone of their aspirations. They should cling to the Austrian rule. That alone can preserve to them their present social position. They should welcome the domination of a social system, whose principles are their principles, and whose plans for the world's future are far more congruous with their own, than those of the men who hope for and await the regeneration of Italy. Of a surety these so aristocratically exclusive patriots are under the influence of a great mistake. If the day should come-or to speak more truthfully-when the day shall come, that shall see Italy once again what she has been, and what she may be, the change so difficult to make will not be made for their profit. The revolution which must be brought about by the enlightened minds and stout right arms of Italy's worthiest sons will not be brought about, they may rest assured, for the purpose of pushing backward the social system of young Italy to such a point of antiquated barbarism, as may suit their present privileges, pursuits, tastes, and notions. No! the nobles of Milan had better change either their social habits, or their politics, with as little delay as possible.,

Having thus disposed of the social aspect and influences of the Congress at Milan, and expressed our opinion that it cannot be considered to have been successful in this point of view, we have a few words to say of it in its purely scientific capacity.

There were, as will almost always be the case in these things, several places in the middle where the pastry was not; but, on the whole, the meeting was not only a very full one, but highly respectable also from quality as well as quantity. Humboldt and Arago were among the regretted absentees to whom we have alluded. It was sought to mitigate our regrets by assuring us that they would be present at the next annual meeting, which is to take place at Naples.

Rüppel of Frankfort, the well-known African traveller, a veritable German Mungo Park, was there, and read several papers in the Zoological section. Van Hammer Purgstall from Vienna, the historian of the Ottoman Empire, was a member of the Geological section. Gräberg von Hemso, whose name as a geographer has been made known throughout Europe, by his work on Mo

rocco-the most authentic we have-and who is tended to reply to the ungracious and ill-timed obnow librarian to the Grand Duke of Tuscany, read servations of the president. The speech was a long paper on the recent progresses of geographi-printed by Canino, and distributed to the members cal science. Orioli, from Corfu, a Bolognese, ex- of the Congress; but the words which in the foliled from his country for liberal opinions, was lowing extract are in italics, were not allowed by there, and communicated to the Physical section the Censor to be printed. We were enabled to some remarkably curious discoveries respecting obtain a MS. copy of them. the laws which regulate electrical currents. The astronomers Plana from Turin, and Amici from Florence, were there.

The Cavaliere Schmidt of Berlin, who is the son-in-law of our celebrated entomologist Spence, and himself an enthusiastic votary of the same science, read a paper in the Zoological section, which was ordered to be printed in the acts of the Congress.

He had congratulated the assembly on the presence of Cardinal Gaisruck of Vienna among them -the first dignitary of the church who had attended any one of the meetings of the institution. And from this he took occasion to say: The alliance of religion with knowledge is not a command of human invention, but is the design of evangelical truth. And he who breaks or loosens their connection, is not only the enemy of man, but the adBut since the voice is

The Prince de Canino, Charles Lucien Buona-versary of God! parte, was of course there, and was, it may be said, the soul of the meeting. He it was who first introduced these annual assemblies into Italy, his adopted country. He was president of the Zoological section.

There were twenty-four Englishmen among the nearly twelve hundred members of the Congress. Among them may be specially mentioned Lord Northampton, Dr. Roget, Sir R. H. Inglis, and Lord de Mawley. But none of the twenty-four took any active share in the business of the meeting. Some of the qualifications assigned to our countrymen, in the printed lists of members, are strange enough, and imply strange misconceptions on the part of the admitting body. For instance, as one gentleman's title of admissibility to a scientific congress, he is stated to be The Director of the East India Company.'

Then we must by no means omit to record among the notables, that the Congress counted among its members two ladies-the Baroness Ernesta Kotz, and the Baroness Luigia Kotz, both canonesses, and both of Vienna. They were members of the Physical section.

ever useful, which is raised to maintain the inexpugnable right of free discussion for all men, I turn myself to you, my most worthy colleagues,to you whose wishes are not for the limitation of thought, but are in favour of its unshackled conquests, and the progressive enlargement of its boundaries.'

Canino's speech was received with immense applause. He has, in fact, almost all the qualities most necessary to ensure unbounded popularity among such a body as that composing the Congress-or indeed among any men. His scientific acquirements are well known throughout Europe. He may fairly be classed among the first zoologists of the day. But, if his science is not such as that of princes is usually found to be, the works published by him on his favourite pursuit are truly princely. He holds and professes openly republican principles. And his manners, habits, dress, and address, are far more in keeping with his opinions, than with the social rank which fortune has assigned him. Though somewhat corpulent, he is very active, and even alert. His figure and enfire appearance are as far as well might be from Lastly, the General President of the Congress that of the beau-ideal of miss-in-her-teens, but a was the Conte Borromeo, the lineal descendant of physiognomist would pronounce him still extremethe sainted Cardinal Archbishop of Milan, whose ly handsome. He wears an enormous beard and tomb, in the centre of the magnificent duomo, is to moustache, as black as a coal, which yet do not the present day rarely unsurrounded by a group of avail to conceal the play of his very expressive worshippers. In fact the worthy president's an- and highly benevolent mouth. His eyes are cestor is by far the most popular saint in the ca- black, bright, piercing, and never for an instant lendar at Milan. The business of the meeting was quiet. Every morning, a little before the hour of opened with a speech by the noble president, the opening of the section, he might be seen which had the effect of reminding the members in bustling about the quadrangle of the Palazzo the outset, that they were on Austrian territory, Brera, with his quick but shuffling gait, a load of under the surveillance of Austrian authorities, books, papers, and portfolios under his arm, the watched with Austrian jealousy, and assembled capacious pockets of his broad, and somewhat by the grudging, sufferance of Austria. In truth seedy, black coat, stuffed with copies of his yesterthere were few there whose hearts or heads requir-day's printed speech, or some new brochure of ined any reminding of these humiliating facts; and the discontent to which the Count Borromeo's speech gave rise was very general, and deeply felt, if not loudly expressed. From the general tone of the speech, it might properly have been addressed to a number of schoolboys, whom their master chose to permit, once and away as an exercise of their ingenuity, to employ themselves on topics of their own selection, instead of on a set theme. He recommended them to give their attention to such and such subjects, and admonished them to shun such and such others. The Prince de Canino let fall some words in his inaugural address to his section, which were evidently in.

terest to his section, and entering into close confabulation with one or other of the members of it. He talks Italian, French, and English, with equal facility, and almost equal correctness. With all these qualities, it will be readily conceived that he was indeed the very life and soul of the Congress.

By his help, and that of several other kindred spirits, the Congress passed off pleasantly enough; and we contrived to enjoy ourselves very satisfactorily, despite the cold shoulder of the Milanese exclusives, and the ill-omened opening speech of our apparently thoroughly Austrianised president. There were geological excursions along the course of the Adda, and in the highly interesting neigh

bourhood of Varese for the geologists;-several | out the leading faults of the Italian wine-growers extremely curious chemical experiments, by Profes- and wine-makers, and to indicate the principal difsor Schonbein for the chemists; and much infor- ficulties with which the society for the improvemation, many novel communications, various ment of Italian wines will have to contend ;-but pleasant meetings, new acquaintanceships formed, it would lead us to too far a-field at present. It and old friendships renewed, and much good fel- may be mentioned that the best wines produced at lowship for all. the Milan meeting were from Calabria, from Sicily, and from Piedmont.

The Congress was divided into the following sections:

1. Medicine; with a subsection for Surgery. 2. Zoology; Anatomy; Comparative Physiology. 3. Botany; Vegetable Physiology. 4. Geology; Mineralogy; Geography. 5. Mathematics. 6. Chemistry. 7. Agronomy; Technology.

And the only instance we heard of all concerned not being perfectly contented with this distribution, was in the case of the members of the fourth section. The geographers complained loudly that the geologists took up all the time; and that they had no opportunity to get in a word. The fact is, that the two rival sciences ought each to have formed a section; and such will, doubtless, be the case at future meetings.

A very handsome work on Milan and its environs, in two volumes, royal 8vo., composed expressly for the occasion, and printed at the expense of the municipality, was presented to every member of the meeting. A commemorative medal in bronze was also struck by the same wealthy and munificent body, and presented to each member.

We have only one other remark to make in conclusion. It was the opinion of many of those Italians who most deeply mourn the present condition of their country, and most earnestly look forward to its regeneration, that the true friends of Italian progress ought to abstain from attending the Milan Congress. "It is a favour," they argued, "granted by Austria ;-it becomes us to accept of none from her. No results, be assured, will be permitted by our jealous tyrant, which can, in any way, tend to the social amelioration of Italy, and every voluntary contact with the government of the stranger, serves but to accustom us to our chains, and thus to rivet them the more firmly."

Among many matters of interest was the formation of a society for the improvement of Italian wines. The aim and ambition of the society is the exclusion of French and other foreign wines from the peninsula, by those fair and legitimate means, by which only an enlightened cominercial code would ever seek to exclude the commodities We cannot concur in the tone of this reasoning. of rival producers;-by the amelioration, namely, We cannot comprehend any principle of delicacy of their own home products. We have very little or honour which should restrain the Italians from doubt that nature has been sufficiently bountiful to seizing and making the most of any and every con her favoured Italy, to enable her to accomplish cession that can be wrung from their oppressors. this great and praiseworthy object entirely. But And as for the favour granted by Austria, Italy she has a long and difficult path of improvement ought to know right well that nothing in this kind to traverse before she can hope to achieve it. She would be granted that her tyrant felt she could is probably equally defective in her culture of the venture to withhold. But it is exactly herein that vine, and her mode of managing its produce at pre-lies the hope of Italy and of other people similarly sent. The society of which we are speaking pur-situated. It is that by degrees,-all too slow, poses to direct its efforts to both these objects. alas!-but still b, sure and irresistible degrees the Several Italian wines, from different parts of the general progress of the world, and of European peninsula, were produced at the public dinner-public opinion, drags on in its resistless march the tables of the Congress; and the amount of body slowest and most relu tant to move forward. The and flavour, in many of them, was such as to tendency of these meetings, despite the jealous leave little doubt on the minds of competent caution and watchfulness of Austria,-despite the judges, that judicious improvements in cultivation, feudal exclusiveness of a semi-barbarous nobility, vintaging, and making, would enable the vineyards whose anti-social prejudices are artfully fostered which produced them to compete with the finest by the common foe,-despite the attempted restricproducts of France or Germany. The prevailing tions of an un-Italian president, despite the oppofault was the too great astringency. It was the sition of the church and its head-the tendency of wish of several members of the society, that one these meetings is to accelerate the period of Italian of its laws should bind all those enrolled in its regeneration. Austria knows it. The Pope ranks to use no foreign wines. But this was re-knows it. sisted by the majority;-on higher grounds, we think, than a mere unwillingness to impose privations on their appetite. The true method of stimulating the producer to improve his produce, is not, surely, to persuade the consumer to content himself with that which is inferior.

It would be easy, and not uninteresting, to point!

Little Duke of Modena knows it. And fain would they crush the Association tomorrow, if they thought they could do so without incurring a still greater danger. But a run-away horse can be restrained only to the extent of the strength of the rein. If that breaks, the driver's position is infinitely worse.

LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL NEW PUBLICATIONS

ON THE CONTINENT,

FROM OCTOBER TO DECEMBER, 1844, INCLUSIVE.